LETTERS

Obstructionism burdens courts

Greg Moran’s reports that a U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee voice vote moved San Diego Superior Court Judge Gonzalo Curiel “one step closer Thursday to a seat on the federal bench.” (“Curiel clears Senate hurdle,”
utsandiego.com, April 26.) I agree with law professor Carl Tobias that while Curiel is well-qualified and not a controversial nominee, it might be some months before Curiel’s nomination comes to a full vote.

However, there is no valid reason for such a delay and compelling reasons why waiting months will harm Californians as justice delayed continues to be justice denied in overburdened courts.

Partisan obstruction by Senate Republicans continues to block floor votes on 19 committee-approved judicial nominations, including those that home-state GOP senators support to fill emergency vacancies.

Glenn Sugameli

Judging the Environment, Defenders of Wildlife

Washington, D.C.

Death penalty: unjust or underused?

Thank you for printing “Death penalty is not justice” (Opinion, April 26). What an extraordinary commentary from Bishop Flores. All of his points were clear, valid and spoken from the heart.

While Bishop Flores states that, “As a citizen and a Catholic, I pray that this coming November all Californians will find the use of the death penalty unnecessary, wasteful and unjust,” it’s important to note that hundreds of thousands of other Californians – Jews, Muslims, Buddhists, Hindus, Baha’i devotees and other spiritual citizens – agree with and support his viewpoints.